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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bound · kid · pit · plane · branch · pitch · key · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitch — completely
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. kid — to tease
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. key — for a lock
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bound — certain
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pit — in a race
  22. kid — child
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com